Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1887-08-19
THE DOUBLE COUSINS.


first. for she held that without personal
practice of the art success with others
was impossible. She was to be found,
then, one night tucked cozily into long,
comfortable black wicker chair, the seat
of which was of such length that her
wee person could only be satisfactorily
accommodated on it by the adjuncts of
stool and a cushion. Into the soft re-
cesses of the latter her pretty head sank
a trihe YEARLY. Her hands were folded
idly on her lap and she was gazing in a
lazy. dreamy manner into the fire.
There had been a shooting party in the
house, which had broken up that morn
ing and the occupant of the opposite
chair was the solitary remaining guest
Jessie Vernon.
Dora Maclean's old school fellow and
bosom friend was distinctly pretty girl
of one or two and twenty. Some min
utes passed before either spoke. The
fair little hostess was the first to speak.
AT last" she murmlTed. Fancy,
Jessie, your having been in the house a
whole week without our having had one
word in private. Entertaining and being
entertained pals on one after time. l
don't know which was the dulest affair
today. Sir Willoughbys shooting lunch
con, or Mrs. Conger's stiff and starch
dinner party, with that insufferably long
country drive over bad roads.
The little woman stifled yawn as she
spoke.
Have it out, Dora there is no one
but me to see." recommended Jessie;
and, setting the example, she INDUCED
in prolonged yawn.
'Oh! Jessie; don't!" pleaded Mrs. Mac
lean; you will set me off: and if once 1
begin l may as well go to bed straight
way, and give up all idea of chat for
Tonight for know | shant stop in a
hurry" and rousing herself she inquired,
abruptly, (Which is it to be, tell me,
Claud or Cecl!"
What do you mean ?" asked the girl
with puzzled air, though the slow color
that mounted to her cheeks belied her
assumed ignorance.
LAS if you didn't know! Which is the
favored swain, my dear? Both seemed
equally devoted, and the whole place is
excited to know the result"
Really, Dora l thought better Of you
than to suppose that you would allow me
to be a subject of gossip in your house, "
said Jessie, in tones Of annoyance.
"Allow you to be a subject for gossip,
my dear; how can help it? If you will
flht so outrageously, you must expect
people to talk" retorted Mrs. Maclean,
faring up in her trrna
Jessie bit her lip, and then answered,
reproachfully, ''Et tn, Brute!" This I'M
expected reproof was too much for the
warm hearted little Dora. She sprang
up impulsively, and throwing her arms
round her friend eXclaimed:
Don't think am blaming you, dear.
You are not tied to any man. Why
shouldn't you flirt with any number you
like? Only do tell me which of the two
Standishes you prefer
"As if there could be any doubt" re-
joined Jessie, still rather petulantly.
Il hope there can't, answered her
friend, O trifle gravely, as she resumed
her seat. George says that Cecil bears
very bad character -
Cecil! he is perfect horror" inter
rupted Jessie.
Mrs. Maclean heaved sigh of relief.
Il am thankful you don't like him
but tell me, has Claud proposed?'
mo, he hasn't" was the laconic re-
ply; and Jessie took up the ivory hair
brush from her lap and began to ply it
as though to conclude the subject, bu
Mrs. Maclean was not to be put off.
George says" she resumed, after {
pause, during which she had been con
sidering how to renew the attack success
fully, ''that Cecil is a mauvais sujet
Certainly there never was a greater diff
ference between cousins, and such double
cousins, tool'
"What do you mean by double cousins
Dora?" laughed Miss Vernon, reused a
last.
why, their fathers were brothers
and their mothers were sisters! Tw,
brothers married two sisters; SO, don
you see, they are cousins twice owe
and really next door to brothersl"
sit is curious, observed the girl.
"Ah but that is not all, pursued he
companion eagerly; ''they are both onl
children, and their mothers being CO
heiresses, both inherit fortunes. Jessie
you are not attending one bit. l believ
you are going to sleep. Don't you See
you tiresome girl, that l am dying t
know all about your affairsf'
Jessie smiled.
THAT is plain to the meanest capac
nately, have nothing to confde.'
Nothing to confide?" echoed Dora
when you have hardly spoken to any on
for the last week but one or other @
those two Standishes!'
''What of that? l suppose you don
expect me to give you rechauffe of a
those two men said9 1t is stale enoug
at first hand without being dished u
again. wish men would strike out some
thing original, Really, when they max
love one would suppose they had all ha
the same father and mother"
at was odd that neither proposed,
unused Dora.
"Why odd?" questioned Jessie, say
agely. Attentions and offers are yer
different things Here have l been oil
three years, and have had more tina
my share of the former, but not sing
offer. How on earth do you bring ma
to the point, Dora! 1t is mystery